Published on February 23, 2025 by Kariuki Mwangi
Last Updated on 1 year by Kariuki Mwangi
The Nairobi City County administration has said it plans to introduce digital identification cards for all planning compliance officers in a move that is aimed at curbing illegal inspections of construction sites by imposters and unqualified individuals.
The Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Urban Planning Patrick Analo, during a workshop in Nairobi lamented growing concerns from developers about unauthorised visits to construction sites.
Analo while acknowledging that some of the individuals include criminals, members of the public, and even former county officers who have retired but still pose as inspectors noting that to curb the menace, the Governor Johnson Sakaja administration will the issuance of digital identification documents to bonafide county compliance officers to curb the vice.
“We have had complaints from developers where people visit construction sites, and some of these people are imposters. Some are former county officers who have retired but go to sites purporting to conduct inspections,” Analo stated.
He further revealed that some local officers without expertise in engineering, physical planning, or architecture have also been engaging in inspections, creating confusion and undermining the credibility of regulatory processes.
To address this, City Hall has recruited over 50 new planning compliance officers, trained and inducted them and deployed them across sub-counties.
Analo explained that the lack of properly assigned officers in some areas had created an opportunity for imposters to take advantage of the situation.
“That was one of the challenges. When there is no rightful officer to conduct inspections, imposters step in. Several have been arrested, and you will be seeing that in the media,” he said.
City Hall has printed and distributed reflector jackets for the officers to wear while on duty.
“We have assured developers that we support them in doing the right thing. They play an important role in the growth of our city and contribute to our GDP. We want to ensure that only legitimate officers visit construction sites,” Analo said.
